Damage Control
by suzie2b
Summary: Tully didn't think things through before acting on a vow he'd made.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **Damage Control**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **Tully stuck his head into the couriers' office and looked around. James was doing some paperwork and Terrence was separating incoming dispatches by who they needed to go to. "Hey, do either of you know where Charley is?"**

 **Terrence looked at the clock and said, "If she's running on time…"**

 **James grinned. "And we all know how she likes her routine."**

 **Terrence chuckled as he continued, "She should be about done with her deliveries."**

 **At that moment Charley gently pushed passed Tully into the office. "Hi, guys." She gave her husband a peck on the cheek. "Are we going to lunch?"**

 **Tully stepped further into the office and said, "Yeah … well, maybe."**

 **Charley knew that guilty look. "What have you done?"**

" **Can we talk?"**

 **James stood up and started around the desk. "I … um … can finish this later."**

 **Terrence gathered up the dispatches as he said, "I have to get these upstairs."**

 **Without another word Charley's fellow couriers scooted out the door, closing it behind them.**

 **The silence between them was deafening until Charley pushed herself up to sit on the desktop. "What's going on?"**

 **Tully started with, "You remember that plane crash you were in, right?" At her mildly amused look, he quickly continued, "Of course you do." Tully hesitated, then sighed as he decided there was no good way to say it. "I may have really messed up this time."**

 **Charley's amusement turned into slight concern. "I'm listening."**

" **Well … while Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and I were out looking for you … I sort of decided to … have a talk with Captain Boggs."**

" **About what?"**

 **Tully winced as he said, "About you never leaving the base again."**

 **Charley's eyes went wide as slight concern turned into sudden anger. She hopped off the desk and said a little louder than she intended, "You would?"**

 **Outside the office people stopped and stared at the closed door at the sound of Charley's voice.**

 **Tully tried reason. "I just want you to be safe. There's always things around here for you to do to stay busy. You don't really need to go off base on missions…"**

 **Hitch walked into headquarters and asked anyone within earshot, "Has Pettigrew been here?" A receptionist pointed at the couriers' office. "Thanks." He started towards the door, but stopped when he heard Charley's voice.**

 **Charley stalked up to her husband. "I can't believe you did this, Tully Pettigrew! You should've talked to me first!"**

 **Hitch quickly turned to leave. "He's busy. I'll catch up with him later."**

 **Tully couldn't have looked any more apologetic. "I know … I'm sorry." Charley took a deep breath to rein in her anger as he continued, "I've almost lost you more than once, sweetheart. I don't like the way that possibility makes me feel. I know I should've discussed it with you first … I just reacted without thinking things through."**

 **Charley looked up at a face that resembled that of a berated child. She stood on her toes and gave his a quick kiss on the lips. "All right. We didn't discuss it before, so we'll discuss it now." Tully nodded and she said, "I know you did it because you love me and worry about me. But answer me this … how would you feel if I went to Captain Boggs after you've been injured to ask him to pull you from your unit and put you behind a desk?"**

" **I wouldn't be too happy."**

" **Right. And that's the only reason why I've never acted on my feelings, Tully. In spite of the inherent danger, injuries, and separation, I know how much being a part of the Rat Patrol means to you. I love you too much to try to change that."**

 **Tully nodded his understanding. "You like what you do. You're good at it. I shouldn't try to change what works even though sometimes I get scared for you."**

 **Charley said, "So we understand each other?"**

" **Yeah. I'll stop thinkin' of ways to get you to stay on base."**

 **Charley finally smiled a bit. "Oh, you can keep thinking of ways … so long as you don't act on them. It's enough that I have to put up with my dad trying to do the same thing. Now, when did you talk to Captain Boggs?"**

 **Tully replied, "The day after we got back. The captain said he'd take it 'under advisement' and get back to me, but I haven't heard from him yet."**

 **Charley grabbed him by the hand and pulled open the door, ignoring the sudden flurry of activity as people quickly went back to work. "There may still be time to do some damage control."**

 **##################**

 **They arrived at Captain Boggs' outer office and Charley asked Corporal Green, "Is the captain busy, Leeland?"**

" **He's not here at the moment. He went to talk to Major Gleason about something."**

 **Charley turned to leave with Tully still in tow. "Thank you."**

 **As they hurried down the hallway, Tully asked, "We're not going to interrupt their meeting, are we? What if they're talking about something important … like the war?"**

 **Without missing a stride, Charley said, "** _ **This**_ **is important."**

 **Major Gleason's secretary, Margaret, wasn't at her desk when they got to his office. Charley knocked on the door. When they heard the major call out for them to enter, Tully opened the door and let Charley go in first. She quickly said, "Sorry for the interruption, sirs."**

 **Major Gleason smiled. "It must be important, or you wouldn't knock on my door, Charley. Please, come in and have a seat."**

" **Thank you, major."**

 **Captain Boggs vacated his chair to let Charley sit down. Tully stood behind her. The captain stood facing them, noting the worried look on the private's face.**

 **Major Gleason put his arms on his desk and leaned forward a little. "Now, what can I do for you two?"**

 **Charley started, "Well, sir…"**

 **Tully broke in, saying, "I made a terrible mistake, major. I'm hoping to make things right."**

 **Major Gleason's eyebrows shot up with surprise. "Oh … I see."**

 **Captain Boggs smiled. "Has this to do with that little discussion we had?"**

 **Tully nodded. "Yes, sir. Is there any chance you could just forget about what we talked about?"**

" **The major and I were just discussing that very thing, private."**

 **Gleason said, "As much as I can sympathize with your situation, Private Pettigrew, and as much as I would like to keep my best courier on base to get things done properly … I'm afraid I'm going to have to refuse your request. All of our couriers are just too valuable in the field."**

 **Tully breathed a sigh of relief and Charley smiled as she said, "Thank you, major."**

 **Gleason smiled as he looked at Tully. "You and Colonel Williams think much alike on this subject, private."**

 **Tully returned the smile. "Charley's father and I both love her, sir. We want her to be safe."**

" **Understandable, but she's headstrong and speaks her mind. Which occasionally gets her into trouble. If Captain Boggs and I didn't think Charley could handle the job, she wouldn't be here doing it."**

 **#################**

 **With disaster averted, Charley and Tully headed, hand-in-hand, for the mess hall to have lunch. Troy, Hitch, and Moffitt were just finishing up when they sat down with their trays.**

 **Hitch asked, "Everything okay?"**

 **Tully said, "Yeah, everything's fine. Why?"**

" **Nothing. You're late for lunch so I was just wondering."**

 **Charley smiled as she cut her fried spam sandwich in half. "Just had something come up at the last minute that needed to be taken care of."**

 **Moffitt said, "Hitch said he thought he heard you two arguing about something over at headquarters."**

 **Tully glared at his friend as Hitch's face reddened slightly. "It was just a disagreement."**

 **Troy said, "It didn't happen to have something to do with a vow you made a while back, did it?"**

 **Tully again glared at Hitch. "Yeah, but it's all straightened out now. I won't be having any more talks with Captain Boggs about Charley's job any time soon."**

 **Charley said, "Let's hope that's never."**

 **Moffitt smiled. "Nice to know we can get back to the normal chaos that is our lives."**

 **Troy sat back as he blew cigarette smoke into the air. He smiled as he listened to the easy banter of his friends … his team.**


End file.
